New Grand Charity major grants totalling £470,000 announced

The second major grants of 2011,
awarded by The Freemasons’ Grand Charity, total £470,000.
Sixteen charities have been awarded grants for projects based throughout
England and Wales in the areas of medical research, support for
vulnerable people and youth opportunities.

Medical Research

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation: £50,000

To
fund a research project at the University of Manchester, developing
Corneal confocal Microscopy for Human Diabetic Neuropathy led by
Professor Rayaz Malik. Peripheral diabetic neuropathy is a common
complication of type 1 diabetes.

Wellbeing of Women: £36,000

To
fund a research project at Leeds University, led by Dr Nichlas Orsi,
investigating the role of a network of molecules known as eicosanoids in
womb cancer. The incidence of womb cancer has doubled in the past ten
years and 7,500 women are diagnosed in the UK each year.

Support for Vulnerable People

Aidis Trust: £10,000

£10,000
for Aidis Trust to help fund a computer helpline for disabled people.
The national technical support helpline advises over 1,000 disabled
people on appropriate assistive technology and helps with computer
problems. The project will also train twenty young unemployed IT
professionals as volunteers on the helpline.

Bliss: £20,000

To
fund specialist counselling for parents of premature and sick babies.
120 counsellors across the UK from the British Association for
Counselling and Psychotherapy will participate following a successful
pilot funded by the Department of Health.

Dystonia Society: £19,000

To
fund the production of new information publications. Dystonia is an
incurable movement disorder that causes uncontrollable muscle spasms and
affects 70,000 people in the UK. The new publications, both print and
online, will enable people to research specific symptoms.

Happy Day’s: £10,000

£10,000
has been donated to fund activities for children with special needs.
The charity provides day trips and outings for disadvantaged children
and the grant will fund day trips for approximately 500 children with
special needs, together with their carers.

Marie Curie Cancer Care: £117,000

Payable
over three years to Marie Curie Cancer Care to fund two Marie Curie
nurses in Kent. Last year 2,000 Marie Curie nurses cared for 23,400
people with cancer and other terminal illnesses, generally working at
night for 8-9 hours. There are 21 nurses in Kent and the cost of all
Marie Curie services in Kent per year is around £520,000.

Peter le Marchant Trust: £10,000

To
contribute to the salary of a skipper of a canal boat. The charity
provides trips and holidays on a canal boat for disabled people and has
780 passengers each year, many of whom are repeat visitors.

Red Balloon Learner Centre Group: £25,000

To
fund training for staff at centres for severely bullied children. The
charity provides intensive education and care for severely bullied
children who are unable to attend mainstream secondary school.

Spinal Injuries Association: £29,000

Grant
payable over three years to the Spinal Injuries Association to fund the
salary of a peer advice manager. 40,000 people in the UK have a spinal
injury. The peer advice service operates in ten NHS Spinal injury
centres and is run by people who are themselves in wheelchairs. The
charity supports 600 newly injured people each year, plus 144 people in
employment clinics.

St Dunstans: £50,000

To
fund the extension of the North Wales Medical Centre. The Charity
supports blind ex-service personnel. It cares for 3,000 individuals and
had 550 new beneficiaries last year. The grant will go towards a
training flat for newly blinded people and the facilities are mainly
used for rehabilitation and training.

Youth Opportunities

Catch 22: £35,000

This
grant is helping to fund a vocational skills centre in North Kent,
which is set up as a fully equipped motor garage. The centre has been
running for 14 years and has helped 1,000 young people. In 2010, out of
110 young people. Catch 22 (formerly Rainer) supports 34,000
disadvantaged young people in 100 projects across the country.

Farms for City Children: £12,000

Payable
over three years, this grant is to fund farm holidays for 120 inner
city children. Each week, 116 disadvantaged children aged between eight
and fourteen stay on a farm. The experience helps to build self
confidence and communication skills as well as learning about food
production.

Future Talent: £14,000

To
help fund a bursary scheme to assist talented musicians from
disadvantaged backgrounds. The charity provides instruments, private
lessons and courses for children aged 5-18 using means tested bursaries
and offers scholarships for older children.